Baptist child-care agency weighs hiring homosexuals

Ministry has become dependent on government funding

Published: 11/01/2013 at 11:51 PM

(Baptist Press) The president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention’s children’s services agency has recommended that the organization amend its hiring practices to ban discrimination against homosexuals, according to a PowerPoint presentation posted on the agency’s website.

“I would rather homosexuals see the love of God through us than be denied employment by us,” Bill Smithwick, president of Sunrise Children’s Services, said in an Aug. 16 PowerPoint presentation to the agency’s trustees. “I would rather see the ministry continue to help kids and share the Gospel than close.”

Trustees were scheduled to vote on the proposal during their Nov. 8 meeting. One trustee, Rick Fyffe, resigned in protest. Another, Stan Spees, is being threatened with removal from the board for voicing his opposition publicly to the change.